Venue

History

In its early days, table tennis was played as an after-dinner parlour game in upper-class Britain during the 1880s; a row of books in the centre of the table served as a net, a book served as a racquet and a golf ball was hit back and forth. In 1901, the discovery of celluloid balls and, in the 1950s, racquets made from a rubber sheet combined with a sponge layer, changed the game dramatically

How it works

Also known as ping-pong, whiff waff and flim flam, table tennis is played in both singles and doubles events.Match winners are determined by the best-of-five games. The game is played on a table measuring 2.74 metres (9 feet) in length by 1.52 metres (5 feet) in width, with each half of the table divided by a net measuring (15.25 centimetres,(6 inches) in height. Based on the same principles as tennis, where a player hits the ball over the net to their opponent’s side using a variety of shots, this lightning-fast game can see balls reach speeds of over 150 kilometres per hour.

Terminology

Blade — the flat part of the racquet used for hitting the ball

Chop — a shot aimed downward that causes the ball to backspin

Drop shot — a return shot that falls just over the opponent’s side of the net

Loop — an attacking shot that places a topspin on the ball

Penhold — a popular method of gripping the racquet that resembles holding a pen

About the Sport

Athletes from all disability groups, except blindness or visual impairment, can compete in table tennis. Once the athlete’s range of movement, muscle strength, restrictions, balance in the wheelchair and ability to handle the racket has been assessed, they are selected for the appropriate category.
Intellectually impaired athletes can also compete. Men and women can participate in individual, doubles or team events. Matches consist of five sets of 11 points each, and are played in a best-of-five format. At the London 2012 Games, 276 athletes competed in 29 medal events.